Timothy Coldwell

Books of historical fiction that engaged me in 2025: The Ghosts of Rome, Joseph O’Çonnor; The Book Thief, Markus Zusak; The Sound of Murder, Joseph Zellnik; Sweet Sorghum Winter, Melanie Hill .

Books by my favorite espionage and thriller writer, Frederick Forsythe, RIP: Fox and Revenge of Odessa, (with Tom Kent).

Books on families & moral courage in WW II that lifted me in 2025: Family of Spies, Christine Kuehn; No Dram of Mercy, Sybil Kathigasu; The Sower of Black Field: Inspired by the True Story of an American in Nazi Germany, Katherine Koch; The Paris Library, Janet Skeslien Charles.

Books on artificial intelligence and human soul that awakened me in 2025: All Brain and No Soul?: Real Humanity in an AI Age, Robert A. Hunt and Klara and the Sun, Kazuo Ishiguro.

Books on spirituality and religious history that stirred me in 2025: The Future of Christian Spirituality: In Our Lives, In our Churches, and in the Academy: Essays in Honor of Fr. Ronald Rolheiser, David Pocta and John J. Markey; Catholic Fundamentalism in America, Mark S. Massa

Books on Malaysia that guided me in 2025: Under the Malaccan Sun: A Malaysian Childhood, C.P. Bok; Caught in Culture, Brigitte Rozario; Ultimate Sacrifice: The Unaccounted Death of Catholic Missionaries ni WWII , Cosmas Lee; Convents of the Saint Maur Sisters, Chen Yen Ling.

Books on marital and family relationships that touched me in 2025: Seasons of a Family’s Life: Cultivating the Contemplative Spirit at Home, Wendy M. Wright; The Marriage You’ve Always Wanted, Gary Chapman; Memorial Days, Geraldine Brooks.

More books on Discipleship that inspired me in 2025: King’s Cross, Timothy Keller; Mystical Christianity: A Psychological Commentary of the Gospel of John, John A. Sanford; The Wisdom of Sundays, Oprah Winfrey.

Books on Discipleship that inspired me in 2025: Prayer: Exploring Contemplative Prayer through Eastern and Western Spirituality, Swami Abhishiktananda; Practicing the Way: Be with Jesus Become like him Do as he did, John Mark Comer; The Road to Daybreak, Henri Nouwen.

Four Malaysian history and fiction favorites this year: The Gift of Rain, the Garden of Evening Mists, The House of Doors, Tan Twan Eng Land Below the Wind, Agnes Newton Keith

Three psycho-social growth favorites this year: Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life, James Hollis Less Helping Them More Healing You, Jean P. Kelly Jumpstarting Your Own Legacy, Paul Mast

Three favorites for the inner journey this year: Learning to Pray: A Guide for Everyone, James Martin, SJ Letters to a Young Poet, Rainer Maria Rilke The Eloquence of Silence: Surprising Wisdom in Tales of Emptiness, Thomas Moore

Three spirituality favorites this year: Jesus Before Christianity, Albert Nolan Jesus Today: A Spirituality of Radical Freedom, Albert Nolan Called on the Way: The Daily Practice of Discipleship, Kathleen A. Cahalan and Laura Kelly Fanucci

Two church history favorites this year: The Mole of Vatican Council II, Richard A. Zmuda Cloistered: My Years as a Nun, Catherine Coldstream

Three Civil War favorites this year: Lincoln’s Mentors, Michael J. Gerhardt Demon of Unrest, Erik Larson Master Slave Husband Wife, Ilyon Woo

Four mysticism favorites this year: Love is Stronger Than Death: The Mystical Union of Two Souls and Thomas Keating: The Making of a Modern Mystic, Cynthia Bourgeault Modern Mystics, Bernard McGinn The Difference Nothing Makes: Creation, Christ, Contemplation, Brian D. Robinette

Four fiction favorites this year: Orbital, Samantha Harvey A Shining, Jon Fosse Kairos, Jenny Erpenbeck Long Island, Colm Tóibín

@suilee An excellent article, balanced and insightful.

It has always struck me how much Singapore respects its former colonial master. So when a third statue of Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles went up, I knew I had to write about it. I learned a lot from reporting this piece. I hope you read it. nytimes.com/2024/08/31/wor…

@jonmsweeney Coldwellnosf@me.com

I am giving a talk on Saint Clare of Assisi here on the evening of August 1, and then sending via email a painting to people with a Visio Divina reflection once a week throughout the month. If you’re interested, DM me your email address.

@ThebestFigen 92